Catharanthus roseus - Periwinkle

❏ Binomial Name : Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don.

❏ Synonym : Vinca rosea,Lochnera rosea,

❏ Family : Apocynacaeae

❏ Common Name : Periwinkle, Madagascar periwinkle, Rosy periwinkle, Vinca 

❏ Tamil Name : Nithyakalyaani

❏ Hindi Name : Sadabahar 

❏ IUCN status: Not Evaluated

Catharanthus roseus Botanical Description

Perennial woody herbs; young stems, leaves and calyx puberulous. Leavs simple, opposite, decussate, 3-6 x 1.5-2.5 cm, elliptic-obovate, apex obtuse or rounded, base cuneate, glabrous; lateral veins c. 10 pairs, chartaceous; petiole to 1.3 cm long. Flowers axillary, solitary or paired, shortly pedicellate. Calyx-lobes 5, subequal, 3-5 mm long, subulate. Corolla pink or white, tube 2-3 cm long, pubescent without; lobes 5, 1.5-2 x c. 1.5 cm, triangular-obovate, obtuse. Stamens 5, included. Ovary ca 4 mm long; style to 3 cm long. Follicles 2-3 x 0.2-0.3 cm, linear, puberulous; seeds many, black. Fl. &Fr.: August-January

Catharanthus roseus Medicinal uses

❀ Madagascar periwinkle has long been used as a traditional medicine.

❀ The plant is cultivated as a source of these alkaloids, a number of which are extracted and used allopathically

❀ The dried root is an industrial source of ajmalicine, which increases the blood flow in the brain and peripheral parts of the body. Preparations of ajmalicine are used to treat the psychological and behavioural problems of senility, sensory problems (dizziness, tinnitus), cranial traumas and their neurological complications

❀ An infusion of the flowers is used to treat mild diabetes

❀ A decoction of the roots is taken to treat dysmenorrhoea

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